Eastern Door Volume 8 Number 9

Volume 8 Number 9

March 26, 1999

Quebec Cabinet Considers Agreements
By: Kenneth Deer

The cabinet of the Government of Quebec has agreed in principle to a number of agreements with Kahnawake on a wide number of issues from policing and justice to roads and taxation.

These agreements come five months after the historic signing of a Statement of Understanding and Mutual Respect as well a Framework Agreement in October at the Kanawaki Golf Club between Quebec and the MCK. These arrangements came about, partly, as a result of the threat by the MCK to put toll booths on the main highways passing through Kahnawake last June, 1998.

According to the MCK, the most important agreement has to due with taxation, long an irritant in relations with Quebec. Quebec has agreed to recognize that goods bought off the reserve and consumed on the reserve will be free of provincial sales tax. In order to reduce abuse of this right and to make purchases easier for residents of Kahnawake, a "swipe card" system will be implemented some time in the future. While Quebec agrees in principle to this system, it will take some time to implement. The technology is available but all the details have yet to be worked out.

This new tax arrangement will be administered right here in Kahnawake. Anyone who has a problem with tax reimbursement will be able to deal with the issue in this office. For instance, if someone loses their "swipe card," the office can cancel its access code and it will not be able to be used by anyone else.

At this time, the card will only make Kahnawakero:non exempt from provincial sales tax, the Federal government has not come on line yet with their GST and negotiations will continue on that front.

In the area of alcohol, tobacco and petroleum, Quebec has agreed to drop the taxes from the wholesale price to merchants in Kahnawake. These businesses can then pass the savings on to residents of Kahnawake. The MCK will be responsible to regulate the system to eliminate abuse.

Quebec has also agreed to recognize Kahnawake's Intoxicants Law and the licenses that the Alcoholic Beverages Control Board issues. Licensed stores and bars will now be able to buy their stock directly from distributors.

Quebec has agreed to pay Kahnawake four million dollars for the first year to use our highways and two million for each year thereafter. The MCK will be responsible for the upkeep of Routes 132, 138, 207, the Old Malone Highway and the OCR. At least 25% of the user fees will be needed to pay for the upkeep. When major repaving is to take place, Quebec will approach Kahnawake first for the contracts.

The traffic circle by the Sports Complex, long considered dangerous, will be modified to a simple T intersection with a traffic light. This will mean the return of nearly nine acres of land in the area.

Births, deaths, combat sports, justice, etc.

Since the new Civil Code was enacted, Kahnawake had lost control of Birth Certificates and related issues. Quebec will now recognize Kahnawake's birth, death and marriage registry. The MCK will now be the institution which will record and issue these documents.

Quebec has also agreed to recognize Kahnawake's Athletic Commission which sanctions such events as the Indigenous Games and Cage Combat in Kahnawake. This will eliminate any further interference from Quebec such as what happened when Extreme Fighting was first presented here two years ago.

Quebec will recognize a new type of Justice of the Peace in Kahnawake who will be able to rule on a broader range of judicial matters to reduce the number of cases referred to Longueuil.

The Policing Agreement has been split in two, one signed between the MCK and Quebec and another with the Feds. Both together, they amount to the same as the previous tri-partite agreement.

Quebec will adjust its regulations to allow Kahnawake to access economic development dollars which are in addition to those available under the Aboriginal Economic Development fund.

Also, Quebec will allow the Step-by-Step and Daycare program to access Quebec funding without having to incorporate. This could lead to immediate help in building a new facility and operating dollars.

Other details

All the agreements are in principle only at this point and a lot of work must still be done to implement them. They are specific to Kahnawake and other communities will have to negotiate with Quebec for similar arrangements. Some agreements may need enabling legislation by Quebec to make these arrangements legal. Any agreement can be terminated at any time with either side giving 30 days notice. Each agreement has a dispute resolution mechanism included to deal with any difficulties that may arise during its implementation.

Norton comments

"I don't have any hesitation with coming to agreements with Quebec," said Grand Chief Joe Norton. "It is not our fault that the Feds have transferred some responsibilities to the provinces and forcing us to deal with them. I don't think we are putting ourselves in a detrimental position. This is to resolve some problems between us for now and establish our jurisdiction as far as we can."

Commenting on some possible negative reaction from the community, Norton said, "We can expect criticism from those who always criticize everything we do. We are not pretending to make a Nation-to-Nation agreement. Kahnawake is not a Nation. It is just between Kahnawake and Quebec. We have not abandoned our nationhood or sovereignty. Quebec will not recognize our sovereignty and we said we will not recognize theirs."

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Community Meeting
By: Greg Horn

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) held its first Community Meeting in several months. This meeting addressed several issues that the People of Kahnawake needed to be informed on. These items were updates on the Quebec/Kahnawake negotiations, Mohawk Internet Technologies and the Aviations Resources project.

The meeting started with the usual land allotments. There were seven people making their first request, nine people making their second request and eight people making their third request.

The first item on the agenda proved to be a very interesting one. That was an update of the Quebec/Kahnawake negotiations. (See related story.)

The next item on the agenda was an update on the new business venture of the MCK, which is Mohawk Internet Technologies (MIT). There has been a committee set up for MIT at the MCK. The members of this committee are Council Chiefs Michael Delisle, Myrtle Bush, Davis Rice and Lloyd Phillips.

"We’re not going into the business of opening up a store on the Web (World Wide Web)," stated MCK Chief Michael Delisle. "We’re opening up what you would call a virtual shopping center. And hoping to secure certain industries, certain individuals to come rent space from us."

There is no risk on the part of the MCK. Their partner in this venture, the Tobin Group, has taken on all of the financial burden. MIT will be located at the old Ononhkwa Building on Route 138, which was purchased by the MCK.

The Tobin Group has paid the MCK four years worth of rent up front, which translates into $300,000.

"Not a penny has been spent from internal operations (of the MCK)," asserted Delisle. "All of the renovations that have been going on to date are being funded by the Tobin Group."

With the MCK having 51 per cent ownership they will be the majority owner.

Up next was an update on the Aviations Resources Project. Grand Chief Joe Norton spoke about the history of this project and that they have been working on it for approximately two years.

With the signing of the lease for Building 101 at the former Griffiss Air Force Base, Kahnawake is now officially in the business of aviation and will be maintaining and repairing aircraft.

The former owners of the Griffiss Air Force Base, the Air National Guard, have donated to the Aviations Resources project various equipment to help with the start-up, which is valued at $700,000 U.S., stated Grand Chief Norton.

This facility will also be the only one of its kind in operation in the Northeastern United States.

Thus far, Aviations Resources has hired a Vice-President of Operations, Administrative Assistant, Director of Operations and Marketing, Director of Quality Control, Planning and Scheduling, Manager for Information Systems, Human Resources Manager, Bookkeeper and Facilities Engineer.

There were approximately 150 people interviewed for positions at Aviations Resources. There will also be approximately ten Kahnawakero:non heading to Rome, N. Y., in the next couple of weeks to be interviewed for positions.

They will be working on 737s and DC-9s at the Griffiss Air Force Base. There are several airlines that are interested in soliciting the services of Aviations Resources. These airlines include Northwest Airlines, American West Airlines, Tai Airlines (Tailand), Air Philippines, Vanguard Airlines (Kansas City), United Airlines and potentially MacDonald Douglas.

For this business venture, the MCK has put up $4 million U.S., which was lent by the Bank of Montreal. In case this project does not fly, the Quebec government has guaranteed $2 million U.S., which means that if the company does not get off the ground and shuts down, the Quebec government will pay back half of what is owed to the Bank of Montreal.

The MCK has also made arrangements with the Bank of Montreal in the event that the company goes bust. The deal would provide for an adjustment in the repayment rate of the loan, so as not to affect the operations of the MCK and Kahnawake.

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Thank You, Kahnawake
By: Theresa Bouanani (Kahtsitsoron:kwas)

In late January, 1999, a lady called me and told me she had a car for sale. At first I told her that we were not buying cars at this time. She then continued to state that it was a good car, hardly any rust and she was selling it cheap and only needed $300 for it, so I told her I'd have to see the car, to bring it down.

When she arrived, with two of her three children, I told her that if she could come back on Monday, (it was the week-end), I could take the car on consignment or buy it outright. Tears filled her eyes, telling me that she could not go back to Montreal with the car because she had no license and that the car was her only possession left.

I calmed her down and asked what she meant by "her only possession" and this is what I was told.

Her boyfriend was always beating her and finally he moved out but was still very jealous. She wanted to get a court injunction, because of the fact that her boyfriend moved to another apartment in the same building, but it was too late. A lease had been signed, and not knowing the law, she figured since her lease was not up, she could do nothing. In the interim her boyfriend had taken everything in the apartment where she lived; stove, refrigerator, bedroom set, kitchen table, T.V. set, etc.

Something had to be done fast. Since I know a lot of people in Kahnawake, I made some phone calls and everyone I called came to my aid. I will not mention any names to secure the confidentiality of these people.

The lady has never seen so much help given to a stranger like her in all her life, which made her cry a lot more as her youngest child fell asleep on two chairs here in the office.

To cut the story short, some of the natives had their relatives in Montreal help as well. In which way? They took all their furniture which was still in good condition, but to be discarded, and donated it to her. They even gave her things that were in storage which were not used. One of the natives in Kahnawake purchased the car immediately. Another gave her a stove. I even had one of them who wanted to go beat up her husband, which I obviously did not allow because of the consequences. She did not believe what was happening and happening so fast.

She could not understand English since she was French. It just shows you that even though we have had a lot of trouble with the French-Canadians, we helped someone get back on her feet.
Apparently this story has been spread by her to many people in Montreal.

The people of Kahnawake, you know who you are, I want to make this official in thanking you and your relatives in Montreal.

You are all to be congratulated for pulling off a wondrous surprise that shocked a woman in distress. What hit most of us was to see a child going on two years old sleeping on two chairs and otherwise on the floor at home.

Thank you, Kahnawake, for your support in a time that will be framed in the mind of a young woman who had nothing.

May the Great Spirit always be with you.

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President's Cup Bid Back On Track
After An Apology and More Discussion
By: Kenneth Deer

Kahnawake's bid to host the President's Cup in the year 2000 is still alive.

At an Iroquois Lacrosse League (ILA) general league meeting this past Saturday in Akwesasne, Barry Alfred and Blake Kirby, representing the Senior B Kahnawake Mohawks, managed to put a motion back on the table to get the league to support their bid.

"We should have a good chance to win the bid," said Alfred. "Kahnawake was in two of the last four President's Cups and we deserve a chance at hosting it."

Last year, the Cup was in Niagara Falls, hosted by the CanAm league. This year it will be in British Columbia.

In 2000, it will come back East again and no other Senior B league is interested in hosting the games except Kahnawake. The bid will now go the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) for consideration.

"We can't see the CanAm league hosting the President's Cup every time the game comes East. In all the years that Kahnawake has been involved in lacrosse, we have never hosted a national championship," said Alfred.

At the meeting, Alfred and Kirby expressed their disappointment that their representative, Al Briand, was not recognized at the last meeting in Tyendinaga and the subsequent loss of their bid for the President's Cup.

They presented the league with a letter explaining the role of Al Briand, as Public Relations Manager, in the organization of the Kahnawake Mohawks lacrosse team. The people around the table apologized for what happened and, after some discussion, Kahnawake's bid was accepted again with a motion by the Kanienkeha'ka Outlaws, seconded by Ganienkeh Gunners and unanimously accepted.

Tyendinaga, which sponsored the motion to remove Kahnawake's bid, was not present at the meeting.

Briand, who has been taking some heat for losing the Cup, said he feels vindicated. "It's a great feeling to have the bid back. It should never have been taken away. Kahnawake has a great lacrosse following and the teams coming in will be treated with great hospitality and excellent lacrosse action," said Briand.

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Susan Horne Appointed Permanent Executive Director of Kateri Hospital
By: Dan Rosenberg

Delete the word "interim" from Susan Horne's job title. As of last Feb. 24, Horne is no longer the acting executive director of the Kateri Hospital At that health institution's last board of directors meeting, she was appointed the hospital's permanent executive director.

Horne, 43, had served as interim director since Sept. 4, 1997 when she took over the duties on a temporary basis after the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake suspended executive director Irene Tschernomor and the hospital's entire board of directors for "failure to fill their respective mandates."

"Actually, I was already feeling very permanent," said Horne, who sees her appointment as one of a series of steps in the hospital's restructuring process.

The first phase of that process was the election of a new board of directors in February 1998 which saw the number of board members scaled down from nine to seven. Those directors are Donald Horne, chairperson; Myrtle Bush, vice-chairperson; Jack Leclaire, treasurer; Lori Jacobs, secretary; Josie Curotte, Terry Diabo and Franklin Williams.

Horne says the board members are fully qualified, having taken training through quality improvement and accountability framework established by the community.

"Then we updated and adopted the constitution and bylaws of the board to reflect the changes in the board's makeup," Horne reports.

Horne started at the Kateri Hospital in 1977 as a receptionist in the outpatient department. After taking a hiatus to raise her two children, Angus, now 18, and Sarah, now 16, she returned to the hospital in 1982 as executive assistant to director June Delisle.

In 1995 she changed jobs, taking over responsibility for the purchasing department. "This shift gave me the opportunity to test my management and organizational skills," she notes.

Horne was promoted to her first senior management position in 1996 when she became director of auxiliary services. "When there was a move to restructure the hospital in 1997, I became interim executive director," she recalls.

"Fortunately, all my background experience that took me from one end of the hospital to the other, helped me immensely in my current duties," she points out. "Some of the major projects I deal with now, fell under my jurisdiction in my previous roles. It was a plus for me that I didn't spend all my time in a second-floor office in the past.

"As a result of my experience, I know where people are coming from because I've been there. I understand the challenges our staff is facing. I learned this on the front line of services and it's enabled me to have a hands-on approach to the job."

As part of the restructuring, Horne herself absorbed the duties of director of auxiliary services and last year hired an executive assistant (Lynda Delisle) to oversee those areas. "Lynda assisted me in installing a new telephone system and computer network that we hope will bring the Kateri Hospital into the 1990s," she said.

Other senior management positions are held by Suzanne Jones, interim director of professional services for the past year and a half, and Alicia Loyola, director of nursing for almost a decade. With the exception of doctors, Horne estimates that 85-90 percent of the hospital's 115 employees is Native.

There is only one man on the hospital's administration team. "Is this reflective of the way our community is going?" asks Horne, semi playfully.

Another key aspect in the restructuring process is a complete review of personnel policies. "Job descriptions will be rehashed and updated to reflect what's happening currently," she discloses. "Also, administrative policies will be reviewed with some alterations that have not yet been completed. Management structure is still to be finalized and we'll look at how best to organize things."

One of Horne's achievements which has been concretized was to negotiate with the Regional Health Board to obtain additional funding to extend outpatient clinic hours. "This is a direct result of what the users have been telling us they want," she divulged.

As of last September, outpatient clinics at the hospital were open until 9:00 p.m. three nights a week. A fourth night was added last February, so that the clinic is now open late to treat minor emergencies from Monday to Thursday inclusive.

"We had extended the outpatient clinic services on Saturday to a full day," Horne says, "but people didn't respond because they apparently had other things to do. So now the department closes at 1:00 p.m. Saturdays."

Under Horne's leadership the hospital has also enhanced its home care program, adding nursing personnel to its home health care unit.

The hospital is working more closely with the KSCS, in order to strive to integrate two programs: the homemaker service and home health care "so as not to have duplication and serve the same clientele."

A home health care nursing team has been relocated to the Elders Lodge and Horne is also looking to enhance the rehab department in the areas of physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

A new rapport with Chateauguay's Anna Laberge Hospital Centre has enabled Kateri to supply Kahnawake residents with lab services for the entire community, whether or not Kateri doctors are seeing the patients involved.

"We've worked out an arrangement where we no longer have to wait to receive lab test results by courier from a private laboratory as in the past. We have a computer hookup with the CHAL which gets the results to us as quickly as possible."

Horne says the Kateri outpatient service has been on the increase since 1995-96 when it saw 17,000 people in need of treatment. That number jumped to 19,000 the following year, mainly due to the impact of closures of outdoor clinics in Montreal. "There was a mild increase in 1997-98 and we foresee another one in 1998-99 because of our extended hours," she informed.

The 43-bed inpatient area is usually filled to capacity, she said.

"We're doing a lot to meet the needs of the community. Our receptionists at the outpatient clinic used to have a waiting list, but this is no longer true because of our extended hours."

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Editorial

Agreements With Quebec
By: Kenneth Deer, The Eastern Door

The unprecedented agreements that Quebec and Kahnawake are about to signed deserved a careful study.

Let's look at some of the financial winners in these agreements. Step-By-Step and Mohawk Community Daycare will get a chance to receive substantial funding to build a new facility and operating dollars on an ongoing basis without incorporating under Canadian Law. This program is certainly worthy of any help it can get.

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake will receive four million dollars in user fees from Quebec for use of the highways that pass through our territory in the first year of this agreement and two million every year after that. Some of this money will be needed to maintain these highways which will provide work for some people but the majority of the funds will be revenue for the community. How this money will be spent is still to be decided by the MCK but, according to Grand Chief Joe Norton, priorities will have to be established because there are many areas that could use financial help in our community.

The local economy could get a much needed boost from Quebec now that we are able to apply to Quebec for economic development funds. Perhaps the tourism project can finally get underway with some serious funding. Other projects that are on the drawing boards that could make unemployment in our community almost disappear.

For the benefit of everyone, provincial sales tax will not be charged on purchases off-reserve. Although the details are not worked out and there are some exceptions to this general rule, it is a step in the right direction. Administering this arrangement in Kahnawake will create a few more jobs and increase our technological expertise in the field of electronic transactions.

Community members should also be able to save at the gas pumps with an agreement to eliminate taxes on fuel sold in Kahnawake.

These and other agreements will be commented on in more depth at another time when the final wording is made public. But the question looms: Why is the province making these deals?

Is the province trying to appease the Mohawks? Is this part of the strategy to get winning conditions for the next referendum? Perhaps. But Quebec's aspirations are not really our concern. We can't put a stop to them nor should we interfere.

In a very pragmatic way, we have to use every opportunity to improve the situation we live in. If Quebec is ready to recognize a little bit of our jurisdiction right now, why not take the opportunity?

In almost every international forum, Quebec has been questioned on the fate of the Indigenous Peoples after separation. They have to show that they can make agreements that improve the situation that the Indigenous Peoples in Quebec find themselves in. Agreements like these could be used to help their image both domestically and abroad.

Similarly, Canada has been criticized for its treatment of the Indigenous Peoples who live there. It is mentioned in almost every United Nations report on the situation in Canada.

Quebec has made a bold attempt to reach agreements that the Federal government is reluctant to join. Quebec has always said that Native Peoples would be better off in a separate Quebec. They may now be trying to prove that. And the Feds may be left behind if they are not careful.

Quebec needs Kahnawake. The Federal government needs Kahnawake. The Federal government needs Quebec. Quebec doesn't think it needs the Federal government. Kahnawake doesn't need either one of them but could use both.

Quebec wants to prove it can treat Indigenous Peoples better than Canada and the Feds have to prove that federalism works by cooperating with both Kahnawake and Quebec.

Interesting dynamics. After these agreements, the ball is in the Feds' court.

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